Fame - Tour

Returning to London from 21st December to 26th January at the Troubadoor Wembley Park Theatre.

Went to the Sunday matinee to see the new cat who are based in a building site at Wembley.

Lots of adverts around and big digital billboards, They state that this is the final stop of the tour.

This is a weird theatre. Basically an arena style barn. The show was excellent but lost in such a huge venue. The sets are designed for a smaller stage. You really don’t want to sit more than for our five rows back for this, it’s an intimate show and the seats are really spaced out. The actors would be like specs from the back.

From the front row, the view was as good as you’d expect. You’re still a lot further back than you’d be at most theatres but the stage is low, there’s a clear view and you’ve loads of legroom.

My seat neighbour was one of the groupies who have been following the show around (and has lots more visits planned). He was telling me his secret for ticket deals, which is to book the cheapest seats then ask for a paid upgrade on the day, apparently the box office will do this for a good price. It was about half full for the matinee but I’m told that was the fullest it had been all week.

There are no arm rests on the seats so you will get cosy with the neighbours.

This is still a great show and the sound was perfectly clear where I was sat. The new cast members have settled in well but these are big shoes to fill, Keith Jack is the only name left on the advertising, compared to there earlier in the tour.

My neighbour was very pleased his favourite was still in the show (don’t think he told me who it was, but based on the reactions I’d guess it was the only person who went topless).

Of the new cast, the highlight is easily Josie Benson, although to name her is cheating on my part as she joined the tour early).

Kira Malou danced well as Iris. Georgia Tapp has a lot of potential as Carmen, although it’s tough as the actor she replaced was so strong. Joshua Steel as Joe was another highlight, great personality without being annoying with it. And I’d be remiss not to mention you now get to enjoy seeing Eddie Myles with his trademark smile looking fit in his fitness gear and menacing a drug dealer (quite a change from his 42nd Street days).

One cover was on, Daisy Edwards as Lambchops. This is a musically talented group. She did well, played the role with a bit of a harder edge than Louisa Beadel. And the musically talented and funny Alexander Zane is still there.

They have updated the photos on the stage background too.

I will be back before this closes. Great songs and a great cast. And the venue is easy enough to get to, even if they still seem to be building it!

You're not alone, I saw Fame early in the tour at Tunbridge Wells and again at Wembley on the Friday after Christmas. It's a great show, talented young cast who put their all into every minute and move.

Glad it's done okay at the Troubadour and hoping all the performers get snapped up for another show quickly. I was also in the front row and there was again only a few other people there and not many in the second row either but nothing negative about sitting there.

It's a boon for me that the front row isn't sought after at musical theatre like it is at rock concerts. Nothing beats being able to see every eye movement and bead of sweat and forget there are hundreds more people sitting behind me.

Saw it two nights running at the Brum Alex and my daughter has just been cast in an am-dram of it.It is THE definitive version of this show imo and I hope it has a further life ASAP after this tour ends.

Pretty sure they mean the run at the Peacock Theatre x

So, as I hinted earlier, I've seen three shows to close off the run. All excellent, with all the leads on. All with a good size crowd in, but with the audience seemingly mostly trying to avoid the front three rows. I was central front row for all three.

Friday night, a good standard show.

This afternoon, a fun, but restrained, muckup matinee. No idea if anyone but me even noticed, but the problem with the Troubadour Wembley Park is it's a barn and most people are sat too far back to make out other details.

Some highlights:
When Joe announced he's desperate to pee, Goody says he is desperate to crap
Joe announces his hero as Donald Trump
Instead of Goody giving Carmen his trumpet as an award, he gives her a banana
Lambchops misses the second of her three triangle hits during the Mozart recital
In the girl's locker room scene, Joe has his hair tied up with a towel
In the same scene, Ryan Kayode (ensemble) joins in as an extra girl, in his gown
And some other general messing around, but those were the bits that I can remember and are easy to relate

The evening was an emotional experience, not that I'm sure most of the audience had a clue it was the final performance (or even the final performance in Wembley). Josie Benson sang These Are My Children as if her life depended on it. Keith Jack sang beautifully as always, but missed catching a ball (and Louisa Beadel threw the comic so hard it landed off the stage - and someone had to run around and retrieve it).

All of the swings and teachers came on for Bring on Tomorrow, which was a nice touch, with lots of the cast crying. And an instant standing ovation (thankfully most of the audience joined me). No speeches, but many of the cast were still on the stage clapping after the show as the band played out (and still crying).

The end of a great run. I actually saw the replacement cast more than the original cast (perhaps due to the convenience of Wembley and the excellent ticket prices), but there wasn't a weak link in the bunch. A special mention to Jamal Kane Crawford - it took me a while to warm to his character, but he's a really talented dancer. Love the voices of Keith Jack and Josie Benson. Georgia Tapp really got across the emotional vulnerability of Carmen. Joshua Steel was a lot of fun as Joe. All the actor musicians are incredibly talented, Simon Anthony has a real emotional edge to his voice, Louisa Beadel is brash. And Alexander Zane is my pick for the breakout star to come from this production. And there's such a great ensemble, including everyone who has been with the tour for 20 months.

Being a Selladoor production, this may well end up back on the road. But, if not, it has certainly gone out on a high.

Streaming from 7 April on Broadway HD.

I have to say, acting was pretty bad in this one. Was not impressed

Just sitting down to watch this now (yes, at 1.30am, don't judge). So far I'm liking the opening VT showing the audience coming into the Peacock to begin the experience, it adds to the feeling of going to the theatre.